Out of the Darkness
by Caroline Gottschalk Jackson
Summary: Akito meets a girl that's like none other he's ever met. She doesn't treat him with any respect and doesn't treat him like the head of the clan. She shows him that he's not the only person in the world with pain. (I don't think it's a Marry-Sue, but it mi
1. chapter one

            Akito Sohma lounged on the porch overlooking one of the many gardens that were scattered about the Main House. This was Akito's favorite garden. It had a peaceful fountain that bubbled over smooth stones of different sizes. He could get lost in his own thoughts just watching the water flow. The garden was shaded by many trees that cast a green light when the sun filtered through the leaves. For Akito it was a heaven on earth. None of the other Sohmas were allowed in Akito's private garden. This was his, all his and he planned to keep it that way. 

            As Akito watched the branches sway in the soft summer breeze a ball flew over the stone wall that separated the garden from the street. The ball was bright red and landed with a soft thump in the grass. For a moment Akito didn't recognize that it was a ball. He was too lost in his own world for much else to register. When it finally clicked in Akito's mind what the thing was he scowled. It was like a red blemish on his perfect world. 

            "Ryan you go get it!" A voice said from the other side of the wall. 

            "Me? Why me? It's your family's house, not mine." Another voice echoed.

            "Are you kidding me? It's creepy over there! Besides you're taller."

            "Fine, can you two give me a boost up at least?" The second voice said warily.

            "Ok, on the count of three. One…Two…"

            It was at this moment a person was launched over to the top of the wall. She made a grab at it and pulled herself onto the top. "That wasn't a three you morons! Can you all even count?" Giggles erupted from the other side of the wall and the girl who was perched on top of the wall rolled her eyes. She tucked some of her brown hair behind her ear as she glanced around the garden. When her eyes landed on Akito she smiled sheepishly. 

            "Hi, umm sorry to disturb you but do you mind if I get that ball back?" She pointed at the red ball and Akito shrugged his shoulders. His dark eyes were fixated on her. She was different, she wasn't Japanese. Her skin was lighter and her eyes weren't tilted. Her brown hair fell to her shoulders and curled slightly. She smiled at Akito and hopped off the stone wall landing next to the ball. As she bent to pick it up Akito noticed that she was a small person. Everything about her seemed to be small. Her frame was small, her nose was small, even her breasts were small. Her eyes though, her eyes were big and blue. 

            "What's your name?" Akito asked suddenly, his silky voice surprising the girl. 

            "I'm Ryan Sanders," She answered as she slightly bowed to Akito. "What's yours?"

            "Ryan," A voice whined from the other side of the wall. "Hurry up!"

            "Shut up twerps!" Ryan shouted as she turned towards the wall. "I'm…busy!"

            There was a moment of silence before another voice called out, "Busy? With what?"

            "With…girl things!" 

            "Like what?"

            "Arg! Here's your damn ball now shut up!" Ryan shouted as she tossed the ball over the stone wall. "Stupid kids," She muttered under her breath.

            "I'm Akito. Come and sit with me," Akito said as he sat up. The girl shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans and walked over to where Akito was. She plopped down next to him on the porch and smiled.

            "Akito huh? I think I've heard that name somewhere before," Ryan said as she absently twirled a piece of her hair around her index finger.

            "I'm the head of the Sohma clan," Akito said bluntly.

            "That's it!" Ryan exclaimed. "Oh wait, you're the scary one. Or that's what some people…call you…ummm." Ryan's face flushed and she ducked her head. 

            "The scary one?"

            "Yeah," She looked up at Akito a small smile on her face. "But you don't seem all that scary to me, granted I just met you and all."

            "Yes, you have just met me. I'm sure over time your option will change. I know people in my clan don't actually like me. But they have to love me."  Akito's voice had become dark and flowed over Ryan like silk. She shivered a bit.

            "Yeah, ok you are kind-a creepy," She muttered. "But why do they have to love you?"

            "No reason that I should tell you."

            "Fine, geeze I was just trying to make conversation but if you're gonna be an asshole screw it. I'd rather play with the tweebs than talk with you," Ryan said scowling. Disgust was dripping from her voice and she stood up. Akito grabbed her wrist before she could walk off. His grip was strong and cold. Ryan looked down at her wrist and then up at Akito. 

            "Stay."

            "Only if you say you're sorry for being an asshole," Ryan said simply. She tried to pull her wrist out of Akito's grip but it didn't work. He pulled her back down next to him forcefully. She fell awkwardly onto the hard wood of the porch. "Lemme go that hurt!" 

            "No one talks to me like that." Akito's voice was deathly calm. "No one."

            "Well I just did. And if you don't let me go I swear I'll hit you. And…and…I can punch hard too!" Ryan glared at Akito and then started laughing. "Wow, I just sounded like such a dweeb."

            "I like you," Akito said suddenly. 

            "You've got a funny way of showing it," Ryan muttered.

            "You don't treat me like I'm made of glass. You treat me like a person." Akito released Ryan's wrist and she rubbed it absentmindedly. 

            "Well you are a person aren't you? Oh god you're not some creepy Japanese ghost thing are you?" Ryan looked at Akito through critical eyes. Akito chuckled and Ryan smiled. "See real person," She said. "Even if you are an asshole." A grin covered her features and Akito discovered that she was very pretty when she smiled.

            The door behind the two slid open scraping against the wooden frame. Ryan and Akito turned around to see a tall man standing in the doorframe. His ink black hair fell over his left eye and he didn't appear to be a person who smiled very much.

            "Akito you need to come inside now," The man said evenly. He looked at Ryan and raised an eyebrow. "And who is this?"

            "I'm Ryan, sir, Ryan Sanders," Ryan said as she jumped to her feet and slightly bowed. 

            "Well Akito need to come inside now. No need for him to over exert himself."

            "Yes sir," Ryan said bowing again. "It was nice to meet you Akito." She grinned at him and he couldn't help but smile back.

            "Come again tomorrow whenever you feel like it," Akito said as he stood up. He adjusted his robes and walked over next to the older man. "And bring a movie to watch."

            "Oh, but wait…what's the magic word?" Ryan said her tone slightly scolding. 

            "Would you please come over tomorrow and bring a movie?" Akito said as he glared at Ryan.

            "I'd love to! Thank you so much for inviting me!" She exclaimed. She then turned towards the walk and took a few steps before stopping. "Do you think I could use the door this time?"

_AN: Well I hope you all like it. This is my first Fruits Basket fanfic so I hope it goes over well. Tell me what you think cause I feed on reviews…like any other writer does. So till next time! Oh yeah and I only own Ryan, the two voices, and the red ball…that I borrowed from my next-door neighbor. __J _


	2. chapter two

AN: OK so I'm fully aware that Ryan is turning into a Mary-Sue person but I donno how to fix it. See she kind-a writes herself. But any input on how to fix it would be great. I know she needs some character flaws and whatnot but yeah input is very very good.

_Uhhh.. yeah thanks for all the reviews! However, __Hell's Sadistic Soul_ _a__ cyoa? Yeah that got me a little confused. But thanks for the review. I'll do shout-outs soon, but not this time. It's more fun to do with more reviewers. Now, on with the story!_

            Akito sat in his room bored to tears. He wanted to do something yet Hatori had told him to get some rest. Akito scoffed. Like he needed any more rest. He never got to do anything, ever. He hated the Sohma family with a passion sometimes. It was their fault that he was always sick. Their fault he was doomed to die an early death. He flopped down into his bed and sighed. Ryan was supposed to come over anytime now. Hatori hadn't been thrilled with the idea but Akito usually got his way. Where was that girl anyway? It was nearly lunchtime and she still hadn't dropped by. 

            He felt so trapped. Ryan reminded him of his birds. They were free to fly and escape the confines of the Sohma household and yet he never could. Ryan seemed like that too. Even if she wasn't directly linked to the family that made her free of it and it's everlasting pain. At first Akito had been reluctant. He knew that it was a bad idea to invite a complete stranger into the walls of the main house. But he couldn't help it. He needed a friend. 

            There was a light knock on his door. Akito signed and rolled over on his bed facing away from the wooden barrier.

            "Come in," He said, his voice void of any emotion. The door slid open and Akito heard soft footsteps enter the room.

            "Well this isn't depressing at all," Ryan said looking around the dark room. All of the windows were shut tight and no sunlight escaped the shutters. Akito looked up at Ryan a faint smile on his lips. 

            "Well it took you long enough to get here," Akito said as he sat up on the bed and adjusted his clothes.

            "Well I did just wake up. And I had to go rent a movie. All the movies I own are in English and I didn't know weather or not you understood it." Ryan rocked back and forth on her feet her hands clasped behind her back. She wore baggy gray pajama pants and a plain white t-shirt. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail and she looked still half asleep.

            "Did you even shower before coming over here?" Akito asked as he stood up from his bed and walked over to where Ryan stood in the doorway. Ryan grinned a bit. 

            "No, is that a problem? I am fully aware I stink a bit but you seem like the kind-a person who hates to wait."

            "So what movie did you bring?" Akito walked past Ryan and led her into the TV room of his house. He sat down on a pillow opposite from the TV.

            "Spirited Away," Ryan said as she squatted in front of the TV and DVD player. "It was the only thing at the movie store that I knew was safe to watch. I swear these Japanese flicks have way too many naked people in them. And most of them are girls." Ryan shuttered a bit. Akito grinned and shifted around on his pillow creating a nest-like indention. 

            "Well, for the future I don't mind the naked girls," Akito said a smirk curling his lips. Ryan glanced over her shoulder and him and glared.

            "I do," She muttered as she popped the DVD into the player. She stood up from her squatting position and walked over to where Akito was sitting. "You know," She said as she sat down on a pillow next to Akito. "You're a really shitty host." 

            "What?"

            "Yeah, I mean you haven't even offered me a drink or anything. You're loosing points for that."

            "Points?" Akito cocked an eyebrow. Ryan nodded a smile breaking through and washing over her face. "Well, would you like a drink or a snack?" Akito asked with false sweetness. 

            "Nope! Thanks for asking though."

            Akito glared at Ryan and was about to tell her off when she shushed him. "The movie's starting." Akito rolled his eyes. He watched the opening scene unfold. Akito sighed inwardly. He had seen this movie thousands of times before and wasn't too thrilled to be watching it again. But he did want Ryan to stay around so he figured that putting up with the annoying animation was the best way to do it at the moment. He shifted in his seat and glanced over at Ryan. Her nose was wrinkled and she looked at the TV screen in slight disgust.

            "What? You don't like the movie?" Akito asked his voice monotone. 

            "No, it's not that," Ryan answered as she looked at Akito. "It's just the girl's voice is so much more annoying in Japanese than it is in English." Akito chuckled and shook his head. He was oddly drawn to this girl. It puzzled him. He didn't find her all that attractive, and she was rather annoying. And rude, now that he thought about it. But there was something about her that drew him to her. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. He'd have to ask Shigure later, he'd know about it. Akito sighed and pulled at a loose string on his Japanese style robe.

            "Ok if you hate the movie that much we can watch something else," Ryan said as she poked Akito's side.

            "That's not it," Akito replied as he glanced up at the TV screen. "I'm just bored. I have to stay inside all day and all night. I'm just sick of it I guess."

            There was a slight pause before Ryan said anything. "Well…" She looked over at him grinning. "Why don't we go do something else? Oh! Like you can come to my house. I can change and shower and then we can go to the park and get ice cream." 

            "Hatori wouldn't approve of it."

            "Hatori? Who's that?" Ryan asked. Akito bit back a smile as she took on the appearance of a curious puppy.

            "The guy you met before." 

            "Oh, why would he care?"

            "He's my doctor, and he's family," Akito answered. He shifted around some more. He was discovering that he didn't want to discuss his health or family with Ryan at all. He didn't want her to get involved. 

            "Oh," Ryan said, her voice had become soft. "Are you sick?" 

            "Yeah, sort-a," Akito said he felt his body stiffen. He gave Ryan a forced smile. "It's nothing really. It's hard to explain to someone outside of the family."

            Ryan snicker a bit. "Wait, like _the family, _as in the mob. What are you, some kind-a mob boss?" She asked as she laughed. Akito gave he a puzzled look. "Never mind. So I guess we can't go out." Ryan gave a little sigh and turned her attention back to the TV. Akito let the subject drop and went back to contemplating other odds and ends. 

            "Is this your house?" Ryan asked suddenly. Akito looked over at her startled by the sudden question.

            "Yes, well this house in the main estate is mine. Hatori has a room that he stays in when I'm really sick," Akito answered slowly. He looked at the smile that was forming across Ryan's face. "What, why are you smiling like that?" 

            "Nothing, don't worry about it."

            "I'm not worried," Akito said, his voice taking on that creepy tone it sometimes did. Ryan looked over at him. The smile had fallen from her face and her eyes and gone wide.

            "Look its nothing to go all evil about. You'll find out soon enough anyway."

            "I wasn't going all evil," Akito replied his tone getting darker. 

            "Sure, ok." Ryan scooted a little bit away from Akito. "If you say so…"

            "Why are you moving away from me?" His voice was rising now.

            "Cause you're freaking me out!" Ryan exclaimed. "And I for one don't like it!" She looked at the movie and stood up suddenly. "I'm leaving. This is too much."

            "Stay." It was a command, like the kind he gave to Hatori all the time, but Ryan didn't listen. 

            "No, I don't like this. I don't feel safe around you like this. Besides I hardly know you, and this…this…it's too much." She hugged her arms around her waist as she slowly backed away from Akito. "I have to go." Her voice became quite and scared. 

            "Wait," Akito rubbed his hands over his face. He took a deep breath and counted to ten before her slowly let it out. "I'm sorry. Please stay. Why are you so freaked out? Was I that scary?" Ryan was shaking now and she looked up at Akito was fear in her eyes.

            "No, it's not you I…" Her voice trailed off. Her squeezed her eyes shut as she started to hyperventilate.

            "What is it?" Akito asked his voice becoming panicked. "Do you need me to go get Hatori?"

            "No, I just forgot to take me medicine this morning and you kind-a sent me over the edge," Ryan said as she struggled to control her breathing. 

            "Medicine?" Akito asked under his breath. He stood up and slowly put a hand on Ryan's shoulder. She jumped at the contact but slowly began to calm her breathing down. 

            "I need to go," She said avoiding Akito's gaze. "I'll come by and see you soon."

            "Ok, I'd like that." Akito watched as Ryan stopped the DVD and put it back into its case. "I'm sorry you know. Sometimes I can't help what I do."

            "Don't worry about it. I'll be fine after I take my medicine and calm down a bit. I'll see you later." She flashed Akito a small smile before she quickly walked out of the room. 

            When she was outside of the Sohma's main house Ryan leaned against the wall. She closed her eyes tight as she tried to block out the whirlwind of memories and emotions that threatened to take her over. She looked at her shaking hands and slowly pulled a bottle of pills out of one of the pockets in her sweatpants. Ryan popped a pill into her mouth and swallowed it. She closed her eyes once again and let the sweet tranquil feeling wash over her.    

               


End file.
